How do you decide who goes first in a room full of angry, shouting men? A game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock won’t cut it, and any notion of a sit-down, powwow will not end well.Related: Epic Ways To Break Dungeons & Dragons Without CheatingLong-time players of Dungeons & Dragons and other RPGs have faced the same problem countless times and, aside from the informal ‘who speaks first’ when talking to fellow party members, a better solution is required to handle complex in-game events and actions. Other games, including older editions of D&D, haven't always handled this very well, but thanks to changes in the fifth edition rules of the game this has never been easier.

What Is Initiative

Dungeons and Dragons - A story being told around a busy campfire
Player's Handbook Book Art Via Wizards Of The Coast

Initiative Checks are an important test that determines the order in which characters take actions in an encounter. On your character sheet, there is a box for your initiative modifier. We calculate this by taking your dexterity modifier and applying any additional bonus modifiers from your proficiencies, feats of strength, class, abilities, etc.

When the DM asks for an Initiative Check, you roll a D20 and add the initiative value from the character sheet. Initiative Checks usually involve all player characters and all Non-Player Characters (NPCs) as well, but an experienced Dungeon Master (DM) can weave the mechanic into an adventure in creative ways. The most common reason for an initiative check is an encounter with NPCs, usually with combat. The DM records the result of all checks and places the characters and NPCs into order, with the highest score going first, to the lowest score going last, so you only have to take an Initiative check once per encounter and this is always at the beginning. The order for participation remains the same for each round that takes place.

Important: When a DM rolls for Initiative, to speed things up, they do not roll for multiple NPCs of the same type. Any grouped NPCs receive a single roll and are all given the same score.

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Keeping Track Of Whom Goes When

Dungeons-and-Dragons,-official-art-of-Mordenkainens-tome-of-foes
Artwork via Wizards of the Coast

This is a thankless task but one that needs doing and is always the responsibility of the DM. Side note, If you see ferocious scribbling at the beginning of an encounter, now you know why. There are several ways a DM can keep track of things behind the scene, ranging from expensive handcrafted wooden trackers to hastily written post-it notes and lists, and even MacGyvered tokens cut from the obligatory pizza box. Here are a couple of our favorite ways of tracking Initiative and player order.

  • If you use a DM shield, one option is to place small, folded pieces of cardboard over the top edge of the shield. Fold each piece in half, creating an ‘A’, and write the participant names on the two outer sides. Place all the cards in a line, in order, with the inside crease of the folded card resting on the top of the DM shield, so the names are visible on both sides of the shield, reordering them if it's necessary, so everyone can see who is next. Once a player has taken their turn, move their card to the back of the list and shunt the rest forward. Repeat as necessary.
  • Another popular method is to write the participants’ names on a list in Initiative order, making sure you leave plenty of space between each line. As you move down the list, use a pawn or a similar token to track where the encounter is at by moving and placing it next to the name.
  • If you are playing with a group online using Roll20 or similar, they have inbuilt tools to aid the DM. These make the task much easier and can highlight and inform a player when it is their turn to go.

There are commercial solutions available that can help but if we’re honest, while they’re nice to have, they can over-complicate things, and you don't want anything slowing down a task and ruining your game. Find something quick and simple that works for you and your group.

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